Iman Esmail, a social media influencer with 600,000 Instagram followers, is set to embark on a new career path by making her acting debut with Prabhas.
The period drama, tentatively titled ‘Fauj’, had its official launch last month in Hyderabad with a traditional pooja ceremony. Iman, who is celebrated for her lively dance performances, is now expanding her talents into acting.
This opportunity to work with Prabhas, whose recent film ‘Kalki 2898 AD has boosted his international fame, is a notable milestone for many aspiring actors, and for Iman, it signals the beginning of what could be a promising acting career.
Born on October 20, 1995, Iman grew up in Delhi before moving to California at the age of eight. She comes from a family with roots in Karachi, with her father, Iqbal Ismail Khan, having served as a Pakistani military officer. She is also known by her social media name, Imanvi.
Iman Esmail started her career with a short film called ‘Being Sarah’, directed by Ilyas Qureshi. In 2023, she gained widespread attention with a viral dance video set to the song ‘Tum Tum’ from ‘Enemy’. She has also worked with several prominent content creators on her videos.
Academically, Iman holds an MBA degree. In early 2024, during an interview with dancer Ishani Patel, Iman revealed that she has never had formal dance training, instead developing her skills through observation. She also mentioned that her mother introduced her to classic and graceful actresses like Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, and Vyjayanthimala from a young age.
Directed by the acclaimed Hanu Raghavapudi, Fauji is a period drama set in the 1940s. The film promises to be visually stunning and revolves around a brave warrior protecting his country. Iman’s role is pivotal to the plot, adding significant depth and complexity to the character-driven story.
